Murray exits Insignia for UA; more changes said to be in store

Insignia Sports & Entertainment, the New York marketing agency launched two years ago with Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, is losing its president.

Former NFL sponsorship chief Peter Murray is departing for a senior marketing position at Under Armour, where he’ll focus on global brand development and sports marketing, including oversight of soccer and the Olympics. Murray will report to Matt Mirchin, executive vice president of global marketing, with a dotted line into Charlie Maurath, president of international.

Murray

Bob Brennfleck has taken over as CEO and president at Insignia. Brennfleck has been at the New York Jets for 12 years, most recently as vice president, partnership and media sales.

Sources said that the agency ownership structure also was changing and that the Insignia name would not continue after this summer’s Guinness-titled International Champions Cup soccer tournament. We’re assured by several involved parties that the soccer tourney will endure past this year, as will Ross’ hand in sports and entertainment marketing.

> SAILING THE OCEAN GREEN: Heineken has signed on with Sail Newport as the first sponsor of the 2015 Volvo Ocean Race’s Newport Stopover May 5-17, 2015. It’s the only North American stop during the Volvo Race’s nine-month circumnavigation of the globe.

While in Newport, there’s a Sailing Village expected to attract 100,000-plus, within which Heineken will have a beer garden. Sail Newport also is working with Live Nation to stage four concerts during the layover and is looking for a presenting sponsor there.

In addition to intellectual property and official beer designation, Heineken gets media content, sponsorship of in-shore racing, hospitality and sponsorship of the restart when the global marathon leaves Newport for the trans-Atlantic leg to Lisbon, Portugal, on May 17.

> BIG PAPI COFFEE: Add New England institution Dunkin’ Donuts to the list of corporate patrons backing World Series MVP David Ortiz.

Last week the Boston Red Sox star took advantage of a rare off-day to shoot a pair of TV ads in and around Fenway Park, along with some English- and Spanish-language radio, and some print, outdoor and digital, under the purview of longtime Dunkin’ Donuts creative agency Hill Holliday. The ad effort is backing Dunkin’s line of ice cream-flavored iced coffees and should break before the end of May.

It’s the second time around as a Dunkin’ spokesman for Big Papi, who signed a multiyear deal with the brand. Alex Radetsky’s Radegen Sports Management handles marketing for Ortiz, who also has endorsement agreements with Samsung, New Era, Sony PlayStation, Capri Sun and Pedigree dog food, and a memorabilia deal with Fanatics.com.

> COMINGS & GOINGS: Barry McMullin joins Premier Partnerships’ New York City office as senior vice president, corporate marketing. He’s worked at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Organizing Committee, the NBA, Wasserman Media Group and, most recently, PBR, where he was senior vice president of sales. … Heidi Sandreuter, Pepsi Beverages Americas head of sports, has left the beverage marketer after nearly 15 years to join Under Armour as vice president of women’s marketing. … Former NFL player Kevin Carter has departed the PGA of America after almost eight years, where he was chief business officer. … SportsBusiness Journal Forty Under 40 winner Alex Chang, who was honored for his work in 2013 when he was vice president of sports and entertainment marketing at AmEx, has left IMG College. He was vice president of national sales there for less than a year.